Only Stars
by Icewriter24
Summary: Ivypaw claims she can't help going to the Dark Forest- it just happens. But there's another, deeper reason.


Ivypaw curled down beside the fire's black remains. _I wish I could stop,_ _but I don't think I could bear it. Not now, anyway, _she thought as she drifted into a deep sleep. The warriors den was cold and empty, as it was the middle of leaf-bear and most of the others had been sent to the gathering. Ivypaw refused to join them.

A dark, blurry image of a valley appeared. A cat was sitting and watching, as though waiting for her. Her vision slowly came into focus and she realized that cat was Hawkfrost. She sighed in relief.

"I'm glad you came." He meowed. His face was blank of any emotion.

"I… I was so afraid."

"Afraid of what?" He coaxed.

"Of losing….losing… This." She gestured towards the woods, the entrance to the Place of No Stars.

"You don't need to be afraid, Ivypaw. Not with me around. No cat, especially not one like Dovepaw, can stop you."

"I know." She purred. "I like it here, you know, when Mapleshade's not around." Hawkfrost nodded.

"Most people seem to like it better when she's not around. Come with me into the forest?" Ivypaw smiled and followed him. They padded into the dim woods. Dead, brown leaves fell off their delicate stems and landed on the muddy roots. Low-hanging branches which had smacked Ivypaw in the face many times were avoided by a swift duck of the head. She knew her way around this forest. She had lived in it every night for many moons now. She could hardly remember a time when she wasn't coming here, though could easily recall her first night. Hawkfrost had been so kind. He never forced her to come. At first, it was her own choice, and then she couldn't help it.

"We're here." Ivypaw glanced around this strange place she now proudly called her home ThunderClan was just a safe haven, one where she recovered from her battle wounds and displayed the many scars that decorated her sleek pelt.

"Time for training," A low voice growled. Ivypaw looked up in horror to see Thistleclaw. She shrunk back at his piercing gaze.

"Of all the cats in the Dark Forest," she remembered Hawkfrost telling her, "Only one has no heart. Every one of us here has looked back in regret at what we have done, or at least wondered what would've happened had we chosen another path. Never Thistleclaw. He wastes no time on mercy."

"Come!" Thistleclaw ordered. Antpelt rushed to his side. All the others dutifully followed.

"We'll be playing a game tonight." He smiled cruelly. "One cat will stand in that circle." He pointed to a light circle in the dirt. "All the other cats must try and injur him as much as possible, without killing him and without stepping inside his circle." Ivypaw gasped.

"What is it? Are you… _scared_?" He mocked her.

"N-no…."

"Well, if you aren't, perhaps you should show all of us how it's done." Ivypaw hid her aching fear as she stepped in the circle.

"Now, you may began." Suddenly, attacks came from all sides. Tigerheart took a swipe at her, claws raking the side of her face. Blood gushed out of the wound. Ivypaw screeched in pain. Antpelt reached his neck forward and bit her fur. She watched as he spat it onto the ground and went for another blow. She tried to defend herself, but without being able to grab them, her efforts were in vain. She jumped up. _I have to attack them back._ But in her moment of weakness a cat clawed her belly and she was sent crumbling down. The images of their violent attacks was slowly fading away. _StarClan, no! _ _I can't die here! _Tigerheart shouted,

"Stop!" Finally, the attacks stopped.

"What are you doing?" Thistleclaw demanded. "Keep going!" Tigerheart hesitated.

"But she might be hurt!"

"That's the point, you useless fox dung! Attack!"

"No." Tigerheart refused, his voice wavering. All the other cats had paused to wait and see what was happening.

"You want to play that way?" Thistleclaw said with an evil glint in his eye. "Fine then. I'll-"

Suddenly, Hawkfrost came forward. "I'll take care of Ivypaw," he said, picking her up.

"I wasn't finished with her. She had a lot more to learn, from the looks of it." Thistleclaw said.

"I'll take care of Ivypaw," he repeated. His voice reveled nothing as he padded out of the clearing and carried her near the river.

"Are you all right?" He shook Ivypaw as he carefully laid her down.

"No," she rubbed her head. "I hate this, you know I do." He nodded.

"But it will all be over soon. Then we'll have each other. Nothing, not even these clan boundries, can set us apart." Ivypaw purred.

"I don't know how you ever ended up in a place like this."

"I don't know either." They sat silently for a while, staring at each other.

"We should go back."

"I don't want to. I want to stay with you." Hawkfrost's eyes locked with Ivypaw's.

"We have to go back. It is our mission. We have to prove our loyalty. First to the clan, and then to each other. If you really want to be with me so much, you'll do this for me." Ivypaw hung her head, staring at her blurred reflection in the murky waters.

"We are like stars in the Place of No Stars. And together, we can be great." Ivypaw nodded.

"I am ready."


End file.
